emoiselle Diane came
walking swiftly towards them from the end of the _terre-plein_ by the
flagstaff tower. An instant later the head and shoulders of
Dominique Guyon appeared above the ascent.

Clearly he was following her; and as she drew near John read, or
thought he read, a deep trouble in the child's eyes. But from her
eyes his glance fell upon a bundle that she carried, and his own
cheek paled. For the bundle was a white tunic, and it took a second
glance to assure him that the tunic was a new one and not Sergeant
Barboux's!

"Eh? What did I tell you? She has been rifling the stores already!"
Here the Commandant caught sight of Dominique and hailed him.
"Hola, Dominique!"

Dominique halted for a moment and then came slowly forward; while the
girl, having greeted John with a grown woman's dignity, stood close
by her father's elbow.

"Dominique, how many men can you spare me from Boisveyrac, now that
the harvest is over?"

"For what purpose do you wish men, Monseigneur?"

"Eh? That is my affair, I hope."

The young man's face darkened, but he controlled himself to say
humbly, "Monseigneur rebukes me with justice. I should not have
spoken so; but it was in alarm for his interests."

"You mean that you are unwilling to spare me a single man?
Come, come, my friend--the harvest is gathered; and, apart from that,
my interests are the King's. Positively you must spare me half a
dozen for his Majesty's _corvee_."

"The harvest is gathered, to be sure; but no one at Boisveyrac can be
trusted to finish the stacks. They are a good-for-nothing lot; and
now Damase, the best thatcher among them, has, I hear, been sent up
to Fort Frontenac along with 'Polyte Latulippe."

"By my orders."

Dominique bent his eyes on the ground.

"Monseigneur's orders shall be obeyed. May I have his permission to
return at once to Boisveyrac?--at least, as soon as we have discussed
certain matters of business?"

"Business? But since it is not convenient just now--" It seemed to
John that the old gentleman had suddenly grown uneasy.

"I speak only of certain small repairs: the matter of Lagasse's
holding, for example," said Dominique tranquilly. "The whole will
not detain Monseigneur above ten minutes."

"Ah, to be sure!" The Commandant's voice betrayed relief. "Come to
my orderly-room, then. You will excuse me, M. a Clive?"

He turned to go, and Dominique stepped aside to allow the girl to
accompany her father.